skin

[NewHope]

Do you think if "thick-skinned" can mean "shameless"?

[Casiopea]

Do you think if "thick-skinned" can mean "shameless"?

What's the context? :wink:

[NewHope]

Just answer me:

In a certain context, "thick-skinned" can mean "shameless" ?

Thanks.

[Natalie27]

Just answer me:

In a certain context, "thick-skinned" can mean "shameless" ?

Thanks.

I don't think so. At least, I have never heard that phrase used as "shameless". Thick skinned basically means someone is insensitive to the needs of others and unaffected by the needs of others.

[NewHope]

I see! :)

[Casiopea]

Just answer me:

In a certain context, "thick-skinned" can mean "shameless" ?

Thanks.

If you say so, but given the lack of 'certain' context, at best a guess is all I can offer. :wink:

"Just answer me"? Hmm. Polite? Impolite?

[NewHope]

If disregarded "thanks" in the end of the post, and just stared at "Just answer me", okay, that seems not polite enough.
But the disregarding is also not polite.

[Casiopea]

A better choice of words would have been: I don't have the context. :wink:

Language is power: it has the force to make and break friendships. Imperative "Just answer me" or even "Just answer the question" can in certain situations express with stong degree that one person is subservient to another (i.e., a police officer to a detainee, a lawyer to a witness, a mother to a child, a teacher to a student), and in other situations, say, when we are amongst friends or colleagues, tone of voice as well as context plays a major role in picking out the degree of its intended meaning. Given, however, that we are on-line, typing our words into a keyboard, intonantion is hard to pick out, so whether "Just answer me" is meant in a jocular way or in an imperative way is unknown to the readers. :wink: Moreover, some of the people who visit this site, are students of English and they pick up on phrases used in posts and use the phrases themselves. So, it'd be wrong I think if I didn't comment on usages that are potentially ambiguous, not to mention, if used, might get a student into hot-water, sort to speak.

Just thought you'd like to know. Language is power. :D

[NewHope]

Thanks for reminding me of that, Casiopea!

That is my fault.

But I didn't mean to do it.

And I will be no long in such hot water! :D

[Wai_Wai]

Do you think if "thick-skinned" can mean "shameless"?

In my humble opinion, I think it is possible. They have some relationship and simiarlities.

Thick-skinned means you are insensitive with one's criticism/insult.

Say when a wife found out his husband has a lover, our neighbour knew and scolded the husband. He did not react any. He seemed to have no shame at all those things
I think the neighbours could call him both thick-skinned and shameless.
Here thick-skinned contains a meaning of "shameless" inside.